Reviving food systems in fragile contexts

Food systems are often the first to suffer in fragile settings, but they also hold the power to rebuild livelihoods and communities. In Tigray, Ethiopia, Abrehet Tadele, a 28-year-old entrepreneur from Quiha, personifies how food systems can thrive even in the face of conflict.

Abrehet’s story began with a dream deferred. After high school, she set aside her dreams of earning an income, convinced that such opportunities were out of reach. A chance encounter with a jobseeker registration programme at the local job creation office changed her course. She said to herself ‘why not, I am a job seeker.’ This simple step led her to RAYEE’s (Realising Aspirations of Youth in Ethiopia through Employment) life and business skills training, which opened her eyes to new business possibilities. Teaming up with four friends, she, as a chairperson, established an enterprise named Lemlem in 2020, starting with ETB 50,000 and cultivating vegetables on a 175m² plot of land.

The enterprise began to thrive, showing the promise of local food systems to create jobs and ensure food security. But that promise was soon overshadowed by the northern conflict, which erupted later that year. Forced to flee, Abrehet and her group abandoned their farm, leaving behind their business and hopes for the future.

In 2023, with peace restored, Abrehet returned to her farm. But what greeted her was an unused and uncultivated farm—a haunting reminder of the destruction left by the conflict. ‘Standing on the empty plot, I asked myself: What next?’ she recalls.

The RAYEE project became a safety net in Tigray to support entrepreneurs like Abrehet in rebuilding their livelihoods. Aware of the emotional toll of the conflict, the project began by providing psychosocial training to help participants regain confidence. ‘For me, these sessions helped me to let go of despair and hopelessness. It reignited a readiness telling me to rebuild what the conflict had taken away,’ Abrehet shared.

Once the emotional groundwork was laid, RAYEE provided a cash transfer of ETB 50,000 to restore damaged enterprises. For Lemlem, it was more than financial aid—it was a chance to rebuild. ‘It wasn’t just ETB 50,000,’ Abrehet said. ‘It felt like ETB 200,000 to us.’

Slowly, the empty land returned to a lush, green landscape, living up to the enterprise’s name, Lemlem, which translates to lush green. Sales started picking up, and Lemlem got back in business.

Like many youth-led startups, Lemlem faced challenges in growing beyond its initial scope. Limited access to finance kept the enterprise from expanding further, and Abrehet and her group felt the strain. This wasn’t unique to Lemlem—RAYEE’s experience showed that most youth-led MSEs relied on self-financing, as financial service providers (FSPs) were hesitant to offer loans due to perceived risks, lack of experience, and high collateral requirements. To address this gap, RAYEE designed the Loan Guarantee Fund (LGF) approach to reduce collateral requirements and make financing more accessible to youth entrepreneurs.

Through the LGF, Lemlem secured ETB 150,000, allowing them to increase their farmland and diversify their crops to include onions alongside vegetables. Today, the enterprise has a total capital employed of ETB 500,000 and employs four additional young people.

‘I’ve built a house in the city and can send my two children to a good school,’ she said proudly. ‘This is the result of hard work and the support I received from the RAYEE project.’

In fragile contexts, youth-led food systems are more than just a means of sustenance—they are a foundation for resilience, community rebuilding, and long-term prosperity.